At the end of a long and fruitful ministry as a parish priest, St John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, has left us no extended writings, all we have are short extracts memorised by witnesses.

Mgr Keith Barltrop uses some of these extracts to help us meditate on the Way of the Cross and, in doing so, enables us to rediscover the great gift God has given us in this marvellous saint.

The colour illustrations are pictures of the 14 Stations of the Cross in St Silas Church, Kentish Town, London. These Stations were made by Sister Dorina of the Order of the Sisters of the Church at Kilburn. They were originally a dark sepia colour, but when they became discoloured they were painted by Lady Nina Somerset in 1932. Photographs © John Salmon. The illustration for the 15th Station has been constructed from photographs of the originals.

Mgr Keith Barltrop is a priest of the diocese of Westminster who has been the Rector of Allen Hall seminary, Episcopal Vicar in East London, and Director of the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation.